Maryland State Police rescued a stranded boater who had run aground in shallow water on Saturday in Cecil County.
Shortly before 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 1, Maryland State Police Helicopter Trooper 1, based at Martin State Airport, was dispatched to Susquehanna Flats in Cecil County, Maryland to hoist a stranded boater who had run aground in shallow water. The call was received from the U.S. Coast Guard who had vessels in the area but were unable to reach the vessel by any means.
The Trooper 1 helicopter crew launched and once on scene, they began searching for the vessel. The crew located the vessel after contacting the boat operator and the operator lighting off a flare. The vessel was confirmed to be stuck aground in the middle of the flats and was inaccessible by ground or marine units.
The Trooper 1 helicopter crew configured for an aerial hoist operation and positioned overhead the hoist area. The pilots maneuvered the AW-139 helicopter into a steady hover position 80 feet above the stranded vessel. A trooper/rescue technician was lowered to the vessel. The trooper/rescue technician then secured the victim into the screamer suit. Once the victim was ready to be hoisted, Trooper 1 repositioned and maneuvered the helicopter into a steady hover position 80 feet above the stranded vessel. The trooper/rescue technician and victim were hoisted up to the helicopter. Once the victim was secured inside the aircraft, the Trooper 1 medical crew verified the that the patient was not injured. The crew then transported the patient to a predetermined location to be reunited with family.
The Maryland State Police Aviation Command has served Maryland citizens since 1970 and operates a fleet of 10 helicopters from seven bases throughout Maryland on a 24/7/365 basis. Missions include medevac, law enforcement, search and rescue, homeland security, and disaster assessment. The success of rescues performed by the Aviation Command depends a great deal on the cooperative effort of local fire, rescue, EMS, law enforcement and the U.S. Coast Guard.
This press release was prepared and distributed by Maryland State Police.
